1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a brake device for applying a braking force to a vehicle such as an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a brake device provided to a vehicle such as an automobile, there is known a brake device with an electric parking brake function, which is actuated based on driving of an electric motor. The brake device described above is configured so that a friction member is held in abutment against a rotary member which rotates with a wheel by, for example, thrusting a pressing member by the electric motor and retaining the thus thrust pressing member by a pressing-member retention mechanism (parking lock mechanism).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-202159 discloses the following configuration. Specifically, releasing of the parking lock mechanisms is restricted (releasing is inhibited or reengagement is performed) in accordance with the result of determination of whether or not there is an abnormality in the parking lock mechanisms and the result of determination of whether or not the parking lock mechanisms can be released.
In the case of the parking lock mechanism described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-202159, when an abnormality occurs in any one of the parking lock mechanisms, there is a fear in that the releasing of the parking lock mechanisms may be restricted depending on the abnormality even in the case where all the parking lock mechanisms can be released.
Specifically, for example, the case where there occurs an abnormality that any one of the parking lock mechanisms cannot be engaged when the parking lock mechanisms are to be engaged is considered. In this case, when the parking lock mechanisms are released after the occurrence of the abnormality, there is a fear in that the releasing of the parking lock mechanisms is restricted to restrict the vehicle from running even in the case where all the parking lock mechanisms can be released by releasing the other parking lock mechanisms in which the abnormality does not occur.